


for better, for worse.

by butteredsc0tch



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: M/M, Marriage Proposal, Sibling Bonding, pining!Robert, so much pining!Robert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-11
Updated: 2016-02-11
Packaged: 2018-05-19 19:35:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5978719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/butteredsc0tch/pseuds/butteredsc0tch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Robert proposes. It doesn't go well...</p>
            </blockquote>





	for better, for worse.

**Author's Note:**

> Started writing this a couple of weeks ago after inspiration struck for the first time in a LONG time, but then hit writer's block half way through. Yesterday's pining Robert quickly fixed that though. ;)

“ _No._ ”

The word cuts through the room like a jagged knife, awkward and wounding; the atmosphere around the table is thick, no longer filled with the coiled tension of anticipation and excitement, but instead loaded with apprehension and unease. Robert swallows, his fingers tightening around the sweat damp box in the palm of his hand. 

“I, I need some air,” Aaron mutters, his gaze firmly avoiding everything and everyone as he pushes his chair back and stands, his footsteps quick and muffled by the plush wool carpet as he moves to escape. 

Robert hears Chas call out for him as the door closes quietly, and the table breaks out into pockets of hushed whispers. Robert blinks slowly, dumbstruck with the shock of the past 5 minutes; Aaron’s answer playing like a broken record in his head until Victoria shakes his shoulder gently and ushers him to his feet. 

He shudders as he jolts back into himself 3 steps from the door to the private dining room he’d booked especially. He sees Victoria’s face fall and doesn’t protest when his sister pulls him in close and rubs a soothing hand down his spine.

***** 

His tie hangs loosely around his neck and the little velvet box sits, now closed, on top of a pile of Heat magazines on the coffee table in front of him.

Robert’s fingers flex in his hair, now ruffled beyond recognition, and his elbows shift on his knees, the soft rasp of his suit jacket on trousers only broken by the quiet tap of a teaspoon on ceramic. Victoria appears not 30 seconds later with 2 mugs in her hand, she places her favourite Little Miss Sunshine mug down on a battered coaster in front of him and he does his best to hold back the broken laugh that threatens to burst from his chest.

“Are you okay?” She asks gently, perching herself on the chair to his side. Robert glances at her with a raised eyebrow and she grimaces apologetically.

“Sorry. I just mean –”

“I know what you mean Vic,” Robert sighs, dropping his hand from his hair. “But yeah, I’m fine.”

“It’ll be alright y’know.”

“How?” Robert laughs disbelievingly, the sound a half sob even to his own ears. “I asked him to marry me and he just threw it back in my face!”

“You know that’s not how it happened,” Victoria chides, her hands curling around her own mug as she looks at him sadly. Robert ducks his head back down and plays distractedly with the hem of his sleeves.

“It’s how it felt.”

Victoria sighs and Robert hears her stand, her feet shuffling as she moves to sit beside him on the sofa. She places her hand on his shoulder and he instinctively leans into her touch.

“You know what Aaron’s like,” she says soothingly, palm rubbing gently in small circles. “He hates being the centre of attention. You’ll sort it out, and then before you know it you two’ll be tying the knot and we’ll all forget this ever even happened.”

Robert huffs, rubbing his thumb over one of his best white gold cufflinks. “I doubt it.”

“Look don’t be stupid,” Victoria replies sternly. Her hand pauses it’s comforting circles but she doesn’t pull away despite the iron in her voice. “Adam said he’s over at Paddy’s with Chas and that he’ll let me know when Aaron heads back home. So when that happens you’re going over there and talking this out alright? You can’t just sit here and mope.”

“There’s no point,” Robert answers weakly, the words catching around the lump he can feel building in his throat. “It’s over.”

Victoria sighs once more and her fingers squeeze at his shoulder. “Now you really are being stupid.”

A quiet beep sounds from Victoria’s silver clutch bag tossed carelessly on the coffee table, and she leans over to root through for her phone. Robert watches her from the corner of his eye as she taps away at the screen quickly.

“Adam says he’s just left,” she announces, dropping her phone back down beside her bag and turning to face him with her arms folded. “So straighten yourself up and go home. And don’t even think about leaving until you’ve sorted it out the both of you.”

***** 

The sound of growling is what meets Robert ears as he closes the front door behind him, the large Husky curled up at the bottom of the staircase seemingly as happy as ever to see him.

“Oh shut up you stupid dog,” he mutters under his breath, tossing his keys into the bowl on the small table behind the door exactly for that purpose. He makes to head through to the front room when he hears banging at the top of the stairs and the dog perks up, her bushy tail immediately wagging excitedly. 

“Aaron,” Robert says anxiously, peering up the dimly lit staircase as the bumps and bangs continue to echo down. He moves a step closer, the dog grumbling at him as if personally offended, and catches sight of Aaron’s trouser clad calves beginning their decent down the stairs.

The Husky jumps to her feet as Aaron reaches the bottom step, panting at him happily. He scratches at her jaw absentmindedly as he moves past, and Robert notes that he’s deliberately avoiding his eyes. 

He catches sight of the black duffle clutched in Aaron’s right hand and his stomach immediately sinks. “Aaron! Aaron, what are you doing?!”

He follows Aaron through the door into the sitting room, the dog trailing after them both oblivious, and comes to a stop in the middle of the floor. He watches, slack jawed as Aaron tosses the duffle onto the sofa and begins shoving his phone charger and other various bits and pieces inside.

“Are you leaving me?” 

Aaron pauses, work gloves in hand, before he continues to pack things away. “I’m stopping at mum’s for a bit.”

Robert laughs brokenly, eyes blurring with unwanted tears. “You are aren’t ya? You’re leaving me.”

Aaron’s jaw clenches and his eyes still refuse to meet Robert’s. Robert feels an awful pain in his chest – Aaron hasn’t even changed out of the blue suit he’d grudgingly pulled on this afternoon, he wants to get away from him that quickly.

“Zoe, Zoe come here,” Aaron says quietly, beckoning to the happily panting dog as he picks up the duffle and shoulders it. He curls his fingers in Zoe’s collar and leads her past Robert towards the front door where he grabs for her lead. Robert follows them both like a lost child, his hands flexing anxiously by his sides. 

“Aaron _please_! Please don’t leave me!”

Aaron pauses at the door, his mouth opening as if to reply; Robert holds his breath, clinging to any last threads of hope that might be left for him.

“I – ” Aaron starts, before his mouth clamps shut and he shakes his head, reaching for latch and pulling the door open.

The front door slams not 3 seconds later and Robert stands, lost, in the hallway to their house, a velvet box in his pocket and his heart smashed to pieces on the floor.

*****

It’s 2 days before the knocking on the front door starts, continuous pounding and muffled shouts in what Robert recognises as his sister’s voice. He grumbles, his own head pounding as harshly as the sound echoing throughout the house, and rolls over onto his side, facing the back of the sofa as he tries to block out the noise.

“I know you’re in there Robert!” Victoria shouts. “Your car’s still outside and the curtains haven’t opened since Sunday!”

Robert sighs and rubs a hand over his face, the faintest hint of stubble scraping against his palm. He shifts back over onto his back and blinks sleepily, the room bathed in a dark, warm light from the bright sunshine peeping through the curtains. He scratches lazily at his abdomen, t-shirt ridden up in sleep, and closes his eyes again, waiting for Victoria to give up and leave.

“If you don’t open the door Rob I’m going over to Diane’s to get the key! You can’t hide away in there forever!”

Robert groans and pushes his head back into the cushion under his head. He counts to 10 in his head before reluctantly shoving himself up and onto his feet. He pads wobbly across the room to the hallway and grabs for the latch as Victoria starts once more with the banging.

“Alright, alright, pack it in will ya?” He grumbles, pulling the door back as Victoria lowers her hand. She raises an eyebrow at his dishevelled appearance and pushes him out of the way; Robert sighs and closes the door slowly behind her.

“Jesus Rob, this place is a right state!” Victoria crows as Robert follows her back into the living room. “Have you even washed?”

Robert shrugs and drops back down onto the sofa, leaning forward and scrubbing his hands through his greasy hair. Victoria toes at a crushed can of Heineken on the floor and wrinkles her nose at the half eaten pizza festering away on a dirty plate.

“You can’t live like this Robert, what’s Aaron gonna say when he comes back?”

Robert laughs a half sob and looks up at his sister with red rimmed eyes. “He’s not coming back Vic.”

Victoria sighs sadly and pushes away a few of the empty cans so she can perch on the coffee table, Robert sniffs and wipes at his eyes not wanting to start crying all over again in front of his little sister.

“Did he _actually_ say it was over? ‘Cause Adam’s under the impression he just needs a bit of space.” 

“He’s taken all his stuff and that stupid dog of his of course it’s over!” Robert snaps, his voice too thick with pain however to hold any anger. 

Victoria leans a little closer, placing her hand over Robert’s and squeezing gently. “What did you talk about? Y’know, when you came back?” 

“We didn’t. He’d already got his stuff packed when I got here.”

Victoria sighs exasperated and Robert plays with a loose thread on the inside of his pyjama bottoms.

“You two need your heads bangin’ together. What did I say?!”

“Yeah well it’s a bit hard to do that when he won’t even look at me in the eye!” Robert shouts, shoulders tensing defensively. He holds his breath for a moment, waiting for Victoria to snap back but when she doesn’t he exhales heavily, the fight leaving him in one swoop as tears flood back into his eyes.

“I just, I don’t understand Vic! I thought we were _happy_ , why would he – why would he _do_ this?” 

Victoria makes a sympathetic noise and the next thing Robert feels are her arms wrapping around his shoulders as she moves to sit beside him. Robert turns into her embrace automatically and wraps his hands in the back of her pink jacket, burying his face in her shoulder and taking all the comfort she offers.

*****

Robert walks into the pub a week after what he’s now labelled in his head as ‘The Incident’. It’s not his choice, but after the 3rd threat from Victoria to change the locks during his one and only trip out during the day for his morning Americano, he’d reluctantly agreed to meet her for a drink. 

His fingers linger on the door as he pushes it open, fully prepared to run back out again if he so much as catches sight of a familiar gelled head or dark hoodie, but when his preliminary scan of the room finds neither he relaxes somewhat and allows the door to close behind him.

He moves slowly towards the bar and thanks a higher deity that it’s Marlon behind the bar and not Chas, not sure he could handle a run in with his ex-potentially-future-mother-in-law anymore than her son. 

“Pint please Marlon,” he says quietly, briefly meeting his eyes before toying with a damp beer mat. Marlon nods and grabs a glass from the side.

“You know your sister has spent more time chasing after you this week than in my kitchen,” Marlon chatters awkwardly. Robert fingers pause on the beer mat and he glares at Marlon pointedly. Marlon swallows, his smile becoming strained and nervous.

“She’ll be out in a minute,” he says, placing Robert’s pint down before hurrying away down to the other end of the bar.

Robert takes long swallows of his pint as he sits at the bar, glancing at his watch every 30 seconds and shaking his head when Victoria doesn’t appear after 10 minutes. He decides, after not much deliberation, to leave after he finishes his pint if she doesn’t show her face, tired of the pitying glances he can feel burning into him from the likes of Marlon and Rhona at the other end of the bar.

He gets 2 thirds of the way through his pint though when he hears footsteps walking from the back room and sighs, resigning himself to hour’s worth of well meant conversation. He plasters on a smile, ready for Victoria’s warm greeting, which immediately falls when instead of his sister, Chas walks through the door.

She halts as soon as they lock eyes and Robert quickly looks away, picking up his pint once more and swiftly knocking it back.

“I was just going,” he mumbles and grabs for his jacket, standing from the stool. He turns to walk away, taking 2 steps away from the bar, when Chas calls his name.

“Robert wait!”

Robert stops and sighs, closing his eyes as he prepares himself to turn around and face the wrath of his ex’s mother.

“What is it Chas?” He says, turning eventually and shrugging, attempting to affect the air of nonchalance. Chas shuffles awkwardly on the spot and clasps her hands together in front of her.

“Will you talk to him? Please?”

Robert blinks taken aback, a weak laugh filling his voice. “ _You_ want me to talk to him? I thought you’d be happy! You never did think I was good enough for him!”

Chas sighs and rolls her eyes annoyed.

“I just want my son to be happy; it’s the least he deserves. And right now he’s hurting, and the only person who can fix that is _you_ , so get off your high horse and do something about it!” She snaps, turning back on her heel and storming off into the back. Weak muttering breaks out amongst the other patrons at Chas’ outburst and Robert swallows thickly, before turning himself and continuing out the pub doors. 

***** 

Robert’s peeling potatoes in the kitchen when he hears a key in the lock of the front door. He doesn’t react, used to Victoria popping by after work in some sort of mother hen mode she’s fallen into over the past 10 days or so. 

“In the kitchen!” He calls out, a small smile on his face in anticipation of her latest disaster work story of the day; how her and Marlon haven’t murdered each other yet is something he’s found himself puzzling over at frequent intervals since she has taken to ranting at him daily. 

But instead of hearing Vic’s squeaky Converse walking through all he hears is silence. Robert frowns and pauses his peeling, listening harder for any sign of life.

“Victoria?” He shouts, but when he receives no answer once more, he turns from the counter, potato and peeler still in hand, and heads out into the hallway.

“Vic? You in he – ” He stops abruptly, eyes wide when his gaze comes to rest on the figure in the middle of the living room. He looks tired, dark circles under his eyes, but good. His hair is a little less tamed than usual, a little more fluffy in the way Robert likes, and he’s dressed in Robert’s favourite jumper; he’s gorgeous, in a way that makes Robert’s chest ache 10x more than it did before.

“Aaron,” Robert says stupidly, his mouth open in surprise. “Wha – ”

“I think we need to talk.” Aaron cuts him off, playing nervously with the sleeves of his jumper. “D’ya wanna sit down?”

***** 

Robert doesn’t sit down.

Instead he turns back into the kitchen and turns off the hob and the oven, pours himself a double whiskey and paces up and down the front room when he returns. Aaron’s already sat on the sofa, hands still lost in his sleeves, and peering up at Robert under soft lashes. They remain in silence, Robert pacing and drinking and Aaron watching, until Aaron snaps.

“Just sit down will ya? I can’t talk to you like this!”

Robert scoffs and takes a deep swallow from his glass, wincing slightly as the whiskey burns his throat.

“What? So you can tell me ‘it’s not me, it’s you’ and tell me to do one? No thanks, I got the message loud and clear when you packed up all your stuff and left me.”

Aaron rolls his eyes and leans forward with his elbows on his knees. “That’s not what I’m gonna say at all!”

“Oh really?” Robert huffs, a sarcastic snarl on his face. “So you haven’t come round here to finish with me? That’s what you’re sayin’?”

“Yeah that’s exactly what I’m sayin’ you daft prick!” Aaron retorts annoyed. “And if you’d sat your fat arse down that’s exactly what I’d be tellin’ ya right now!”

Robert stops mid stride and turns back towards Aaron, confusion written across his face.

“You _walked out on me_ Aaron! How else was I supposed to take that?”

Aaron looks away sheepishly, twisting his fingers together in his lap. “I know alright? And I’m sorry, I just – I didn’t know what to do.”

Robert scoffs and takes a swig from his glass. “You could have said ‘no’? You could’ve stayed and _talked_ to me?”

“I know,” Aaron repeats, glancing up at Robert with a downturned expression. “And I mean it I’m sorry.”

Robert pouts his mouth, jaw clenching as he looks Aaron over, small and apologetic on the sofa, eyes soft and bright blue in the dim light of the room. His heart clenches in his chest at the sight of him, his entire world, and the thought that he might have lost him forever is just too much.

“I love you,” he croaks, voice cracking as the words tumble out. Aaron smiles back at him weakly, and thumbs at his sleeves.

“I love you too,” Aaron replies softly. “And I’m not leavin’ ya, not if you don’t want me to.”

Robert shakes his head and moves across the room towards the sofa, he places his empty glass down on the coffee table and sits down beside Aaron, leaning forward on his knees to mimic Aaron’s position.

“Aaron, I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

Aaron huffs a laugh and rolls his eyes playfully. “Well it’s a good job I’m not going anywhere ain’t it?”

Robert smiles weakly and twists his fingers together anxiously.

“I’m sorry about… y’know. I shouldn’t have asked.”

Aaron sighs and turns in his seat to face Robert more. “Robert – ”

“I just, I wanted you to know that I’m serious. About us,” Robert continues, gaze focused on his sweating palms. “You’re it for me, and I just wanted to make it clear to you that I don’t want anyone else. Ever.”

“I know,” Aaron says quickly. “I know that. But I’m not gonna lie you scared me.”

Robert looks up abruptly, a frown pulling at his brow as he takes in Aaron beside him. Aaron shrugs one shoulder and twists his sleeve around his wrist.

“I mean you don’t have the best record at marriage do ya?” Aaron laughs faintly. “You can’t blame me for panickin’ a bit.”

Robert swallows and toys absently at his left ring finger, the ghost of a platinum band still lingers in his mind every now and again.

“I know. But it’s not the same,” he says, glancing over at Aaron and leaning in a little closer. “ _We’re_ not the same, I love you so much Aaron – ”

“I know Robert,” Aaron soothes placating. “I know. Like I said, I was just panicking.”

Robert nods and exhales slowly, Aaron nudges him gently with an elbow and Robert smiles reassuringly before he falls serious once more.

“We don’t have to get married. At all. We can just stay like this, as we are, I don’t care as lon – ”

“No.” Aaron cuts him off abruptly and Robert nods his head understandingly; despite the sinking feeling he can feel building in his stomach.

“Th-that’s okay, it’s fine. Like I said – ”

“No,” Aaron says again, shaking his head as he turns fully towards Robert, catching his eye. “No, I meant I don’t _not_ wanna get married.”

Robert blinks confused. “What?”

Aaron smirks and shifts closer, their noses all but brushing. Robert feels his pulse jump in his throat and he inhales deeply.

“It means I wanna marry ya,” Aaron murmurs softly, his tone teasing and light. Robert exhales shakily and stares at Aaron wide eyed, heart pounding in his chest as he tries to process Aaron’s words.

“Really,” Robert replies breathlessly, a smile threatening to break out on his lips. “You wanna marry me?”

“I do.” Aaron grins cheekily and Robert rolls his eyes, what he can only describe as butterflies fluttering in his belly.

“Idiot.”

Aaron sucks at his lip and rests his hand on the side of Robert’s neck. “Yeah, but I’m _your_ idiot.”

Robert beams and slides his arm around Aaron’s waist pulling him close, his eyes dropping down to Aaron’s mouth.

“Yeah,” he whispers, sliding his palm up under the hem of Aaron’s jumper to rub at his back, skin warm and lovely under his fingertips. “You are.”

And when Aaron connects their mouths and pushes Robert down back onto the sofa, Robert goes easily.

***** 

They lay cuddled together on the sofa, half naked and sated with only a soft fleece blanket to keep them warm. Robert runs his fingers through Aaron’s mussed up curls and Aaron sighs against his bare collarbone.

“Y’know,” Aaron murmurs, rubbing his bearded cheek against Robert’s chest, Robert shivers at the soft scrape on his skin. “I’m kinda missing something here.”

Robert hums questionably and pauses his rhythmic stroking. “What?”

“I dunno,” Aaron says with false nonchalance. “Maybe a ring or summat?”

Robert rolls his eyes and flicks at Aaron’s ear, Aaron grumbles but doesn’t move from his position.

“After that performance at the restaurant, where I might add you embarrassed the hell out of me in front of _everyone we know_ , and you’ve still got the cheek to ask for a ring?” Robert ribs, sliding his whole hand back through Aaron’s hair. Aaron stills a little and turns to look up at Robert, a serious expression on his face.

“I’m sorry,” he says honestly. “Robert I really didn’t mean – ”

“I know, I know,” Robert hushes him, rubbing his thumb across Aaron’s cheek. “Was just jokin’.” He smiles; Aaron nods and rests his head back down on Robert’s chest.

“Left drawer of the coffee table,” Robert says after a moment. Aaron glances back up at him questioningly.

“Have a look then,” Robert smirks and nudges Aaron on the shoulder. Aaron furrows his brow and pushes himself up to lean over towards the coffee table. Robert digs his head back into the cushion under his head as he admires Aaron’s bare arse.

“You kept it?” Aaron says softly, turning his head to look at Robert over his shoulder. Robert shifts to sit up higher as Aaron pulls back, velvet box in one hand.

“Course I kept it,” Robert murmurs, dropping his hands into his lap and he watches Aaron runs his index finger across the lid. “Why? D’ya think I wouldn’t?”

Aaron shrugs and flips open the lid with his thumb, revealing the simple white gold band inside.

“It’s… nice,” Aaron says and Robert chuckles under his breath. 

“That’s a compliment comin’ from you!”

Aaron shoves at his bare thigh and flips him the bird. Robert bites at his lip, and shuffles closer, resting his chin on Aaron’s shoulder.

“You er, gonna try it on?” He whispers, thumb tracing over the dip in Aaron’s spine. Aaron exhales shakily and plucks out the ring with trembling fingers; he runs his thumb over the shiny surface once before bringing the band to his left hand and slipping it on, Robert feels a lump form in his throat and swallows deeply.

“Guess you’re stuck with me now,” Aaron says, voice thick and rough; Robert wraps his arm around his waist and pulls him close. “You’re gonna have to put up with me for the rest of ya life.”

Robert smiles, eyes blurry, and presses a sloppy kiss to the nape of Aaron’s neck, nuzzling against the soft baby hairs at the back of his head. “I can handle it; I mean I put up with that mutt of yours even though she hates me.”

“She doesn’t hate ya,” Aaron sighs exasperated, and Robert rolls his eyes. 

“She growls every time I walk through the door!”

“Yeah well maybe if you stopped calling her ‘stupid dog’ instead of her name she might be more inclined to like you.”

Robert hums dubiously and kisses Aaron’s neck once more. “I love you. More than anythin’.”

Aaron twists in Robert arms and slides his thumb along Robert’s throat. Robert swallows reflexively and watches Aaron under hooded lids, takes in the small lines on his forehead and the dark blue flecks in his eyes. His kiss bitten, red lips and the tiny, tiny freckles on the bridge of his nose. _His_ , every single wonderful piece of him.

“I love you too,” Aaron whispers, kissing Robert slowly, finally. “ _Husband_.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm [butteredsc0tch]() on Tumblr, come say hi if you feel like it. :)


End file.
